5 January
Trimline and Marella Cruises teamed up again on the recent refurbishment of Marella Explorer in Puerto Real, Spain. During the extensive 4-week refit, as the main outfitter onboard, the 80-strong Trimline team of floor layers, decorators, joiners, upholsterers, tilers, electricians, French polishers, welders and hard surface repairers completed a complex refurbishment of the Main Restaurant
6 January
Like 2020, 2021 was an exceptional year for the entire world, including Viking Line. The operating environment was highly unfavourable due to the pandemic, as were the economic consequences. At the same time, the company experienced a number of positive events during the year. Mariella, one of Viking Line’s seven vessels, was sold in May,
10 January
The Greater Changhua 1 and 2a Offshore Wind Farms are located approximately 35km-60km off the coast of Taiwan’s Changhua County. They are being constructed as part of Taiwan’s transition towards renewable energy use. Mammoet-Giant Taiwan joint venture has supported construction of these wind farms by providing a range of high-level engineering and design services, as
10 January
Maritime charity Sailors’ Society has launched a new fund to provide urgent welfare grants for seafarers and their families in desperate need. The Sea Change Fund has been set up in response to a huge increase in calls for the charity’s help, with demand for grants increasing by 850 per cent in the first 18
11 January
A trial voyage using biofuel for the CBH Group, the largest agricultural co-operative in Western Australia, is being performed on the Edwine Oldendorff from Australia to Vietnam. The vessel loaded 30,000 tonnes of sustainably certified malting barley from the Albany Grain Terminal in Western Australia for discharge in Vietnam using biofuel, supplied by BP. The
11 January
On Sunday 9th January at 1300h at Charlotte’s Point, Antigua, the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams fired the starting cannon for the Oyster World Rally. 25 British-built Oyster yachts are taking part in the 27,000 nm world circumnavigation that will take the intrepid crews some 16-months to complete, stopping
12 January
DEME has entered into an agreement with Norwegian shipping company Eidesvik to acquire the DP3 offshore installation vessel ‘Viking Neptun’. Representing a substantial investment, this move highlights DEME’s commitment to its customers, and supports the continued growth of the offshore wind industry. This latest addition to its vessel fleet also confirms DEME’s mission to build
13 January
Partners Group to acquire North Star, a leading provider of offshore infrastructure support services
Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, has agreed, on behalf of its clients, to acquire North Star an operator of specialized vessels that offer emergency response and rescue as well as essential offshore wind maintenance services, from Basalt Infrastructure Partners. Headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, North Star is an established infrastructure company with a
24 January
COSCO Shipping has indicated it will coat its entire fleet of VLCCs with Nippon Paint Marine’s new antifouling system FASTAR® once initial applications have been evaluated. The hulls of the passenger ferry COSCO Star and the 56,000dwt bulk carrier Xin Liu Lin Hai will each be coated with the game-changing antifouling at drydockings scheduled later
25 January
Artemis Technologies has opened a new facility on Belfast Lough as it prepares to commence testing of its transformative new Artemis eFoiler(R) electric propulsion system. The 42,200 sq ft facility in Titanic Quarter’s Channel Commercial Park, will house the company’s manufacturing and engineering teams as it brings to market a range of green technologies and
25 January
Hundreds of Filipino pupils will no longer have to be taught in shacks and tents, thanks to a new storm-proof school built by maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society. The six-classroom school was built for the seafaring community of Lipayran island in the Philippines, which was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The original buildings were
26 January
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), representing over 80% of world’s merchant fleet, has signed a Partnership Agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to support the decarbonisation of the shipping sector and its role in the transition towards a global energy sector based on renewables. Signed during a meeting between the heads of
27 January
Waste heat from the vessel’s engines is converted into electricity, while waste cold from liquefied natural gas is used for cooling. Its hull minimizes water resistance, and an intelligent automated control system turns off air conditioning in empty cabins. The new Viking Glory’s innovative solutions make it one of the world’s most climate-smart passenger ships.
27 January
CargoGulf, the leading independent global Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), has launched new services between the Arabian Gulf, Indian Subcontinent and Asia. The new Rapid Express Service (RES), Mekong Gulf Express (MGE) and Southeast Asia to Indian Subcontinent and the Arabian Gulf (SIA) service complement its Arabian Gulf to Asia (AGA) service introduced in 2020
31 January
A Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) icebreaker is helping to keep shipping moving on the Great Lakes throughout the winter with a set of Thordon Bearings’ propeller shaft bearings that were fitted more than 30 years ago. Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Griffon, the oldest vessel of the CCG’s Type 1100 series, was retrofitted with a
31 January
Furetank has signed a contract for a new dual-fuel tanker. It will become number nine in the Vinga series of globally top-performing sister vessels when it comes to energy efficiency and climate footprint. The 17,999 dwt vessel will be built by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou (former AVIC). It is the latest contribution to
1 February
Kongsberg Maritime is excited to announce that it has just signed a sizeable contract with Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey to deliver high-performance, future-proof US205SFP and US255SFP thrusters for installation on new Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugboats. One of the tugs, a 60-ton Bollard Pull (BP) vessel, is the first of a game-changing, next-generation design by
2 February
ABB power conversion technology ensures a stable power supply for the fast-charging units serving five new electric ferries on the round-the-clock services crossing Amsterdam’s North Sea Canal. The new ferries have been ordered by the city’s public transport company, Gemeentelijk vervoerbedrijf (GVB), as an important step in its strategy to become a sustainable, emission-free transportation
2 February
Norside Wind AS has awarded SMST a contract for the delivery of a motion compensated gangway combined with an Access & Cargo Tower for the conversion of former platform supply vessel ‘Farland’. The contract is a continuation of their cooperation that was sealed last year with the first contract for supplying a similar set of
3 February
Survitec’s award-winning Seahaven Advanced Evacuation System has successfully passed heavy weather sea trials (HWST). Seahaven was deployed from EDT Jane, an 80m offshore support vessel. The test was carried out in line with the SOLAS requirements for Novel Appliances which requires the test to be performed in conditions that do not drop below six
3 February
The Korean Register (KR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AIP) to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Panasia for their ‘Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage System (OCCS)’, a eco-friendly technology which captures the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in the exhaust gases generated from the internal combustion engines of ships. Efforts are being made to reduce carbon
7 February
Air Products and the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) have announced that they will work together, under a Memorandum of Understanding, to identify potential ways of establishing a comprehensive hydrogen value chain across the port of Hamburg. Both Air Products and the HPA are aligned in their intention to accelerate the production, supply chain and consumption
8 February
Harvey Gulf Operates First Carbon Neutral PSV Worldwide and Orders 25 Electric F150 Lightning Trucks
Harvey Gulf International Marine has announced that it has begun to operate one of its Tri-Fuel vessels exclusively on battery power and Renewable Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG), with diesel fuel as back up, moving one step closer to becoming the world’s first ESG certified oil and gas vessel operator. RLNG is recaptured swine and dairy
8 February
Maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society is set to provide emergency care to thousands of seafarers and their families, thanks to grants from The Seafarers’ Charity and The TK Foundation. The grants will support Sailors’ Society’s Crisis Response Network, a free service supporting seafarers and their families following a traumatic incident such as abandonment, piracy, an
9 February
Forth Ports Limited and OM Heavy Lift are pleased to announce Forth Ports’ acquisition of OMHL. This acquisition further enhances Forth Ports’ ability to offer an attractive, full-service package for offshore renewables projects, providing marine services; quayside infrastructure and land; and now, with OMHL, heavy lift plant and logistics solutions. OMHL is a well-established, professional
9 February
BMT, a leading international multi-disciplinary engineering, management, and technology consultancy, has been awarded a design contract for three new Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) to be operated at east coast wind farms in the US. Designed by the company’s team of specialists, the 88ft (27m) CTV design features BMT’s latest innovations to maximise safety, performance, seakeeping,
10 February
Marine engineering and propulsion specialist Royston has invested in a new Marine Electrical Department as it expands ship maintenance operations and boosts customer services. Headed by electrical service manager Ben Jones, the move will see a wide range of dedicated electrical, electronic, digital repair and overhaul services available to global marine fleet owners and operators.
21 February
Star Bulk and Kairiki are pleased to announce the results of a four-year initiative joint effort to reduce plastic waste from their printer operations.
22 February
Kongsberg Digital is proud to announce a new partnership with Lab021. The shipping data analysis company will be offering its Vessellink service on Vessel Insight in the Kognifai Marketplace. Lab021 has been evaluated in the Korean market as the best expert group in the field of maritime digital. Kongsberg Digital’s Vessel Insight provides a vessel-to-cloud
23 February
Since the arrival of CEO, Gary Vogel, in 2015, US-based shipowner-operator, Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc has dramatically transformed its fortunes and, as a result, has become one of the premier owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment.